User blog:Impatiens the Shmuck/Rebuttal to Willcraft's Review of FNAF Part 3
Now, let's move on to the fourth game. This game is quite different from the others. But is it so in a good way? Let's take a look. The first change you'll notice is that you can finally move freely! If by 'freely', you mean 'faceplant your way in fixed directions'. Seriously? Is it 'so very hard '''to make a character move freely like so many other games? ''I will admit that the way Scott handled this mechanic was questionable, but it seems odd to compare it to 'so many other games'. I don't know why. I also don't know if while Will was making this video, he was also working on his game projects, but let's assume he wasn't. If so, he doesn't understand how to properly integrate functions such as free movement, and integrating fixed animations and behavioral patterns for the animatronics in order for them to behave akin to the player. Scott's games rely on sequences and patterns, like a watered-down version of the masterpiece that is Dragon's Lair. This is why enemies stop when a camera is fixed on them. Also, if they could move freely, they would be much more unpredictable, which Will refers to as a flaw earlier in the review. I'm not acting like I could do better....I'm just saying that there's a VERY specific formula to Scott's games, and it would be a MASSIVE change in gameplay if he were to make it free-roam. '' ''This argument of mine is, however, more of a theory than an argument if you think about it, though, so let's continue. '' It would make SUCH a big change for the better, yet Scott seems incapable of doing it. In fact, I like this tool system even less than the cameras. With the cameras, there was a REASON you could only see the area through a few different angles. Because your viewing is on fixed cameras. However, this walking function is pretty much the same as the cameras except with little to no transition. It simply seems clumsy, unnatural, and unfinished. If you can't make a character move properly, DON'T MAKE THEM MOVE AT ALL. ''Agreed. I'd like to also mention that the cameras give you even MORE power than the walking-around-in-a-tiny-room mechanic. There's over a dozen cameras in the place, each giving you a different angle. '' ''I'd argue about the 'little-to-no-transition' tidbit, but that would be unnecessary. '' Another change is the enemies. They no longer resemble animatronics, they simply look like mechanical monsters. What makes animatronics is that they are made to look appealing and yet look off in some way. They take advantage of the uncanny valley, something that most peope watching this are at least slightly familiar with. ''And a part of the support class in the horror chart, and the entire reason why FNAF was created in the first place. Very important class. '' However, these things are not in the uncanny valley. ''I disagree, they ARE in the valley, but not on the same level as animatronics. The uncanny factors that they possess are A: A creepy likeness to something we are familiar with, like say, a zombie of someone you know, and B: A broken and decrepit appearance, symbolizing decay, also much like zombies. I'm not saying the valley totally works in their favor like it did for the animatronics, but some of it does still exist within the Nightmares. '' You'd never see someone make something like this with the intention of making them appealing to children. Instead of looking creepy, they just look overworked and over the top. Because of this, it's safe to assume that they aren't supposed to be scary in the same way as the animatronics, but a more basic type of scary. I still think they look stupid, but that is again a matter of opinion. ''And twenty happy-points go to Willy Willikers and his correct assumption of these scary beasties being spoopy in order to scare our preshush widdle child POV character, as well as his lovely acknowledgement of his opinion on how the big bad monsters look silly to ol' Willy is still an opinion! '' ''...I'm so sorry. I had to make this kind of joke at some point. But in all seriousness, Will did a good job here. '' The gameplay has changed as well. Instead of trying to keep an eye on each enemy, you ward them off with a flashlight. I'll admit that this is a big improvement. ''*loud cheering and whistles can be heard from the FNAF fandom as Will temporarily puts down his sword to pat the dragon on the head instead of beating it with the flat.* It makes more sense that a monster would shy away from a light than decide to not move when a camera's watching them. It also feels like you're doing something for once, since switching between screens feels really pointless. Um, what? I'm not being condenscending, I'm actually confused. Is the wording just a bit off? I actually don't see your point there. Please explain. '' It's easier to figure out what to do, and it also gives you a sense of urgency. But there's still a logical problem. Why are the enemies JUST SCREWING AROUND?! ''Storywise, this is a coma-hallucination-nightmare ordeal....logic doesn't really work here. And if they're just screwing around, doesn't that make the gameplay easier because it's much easier to ward them off? That's all I got. What are your thoughts? '' In the first two games, there was a REASON that the animatronics were just wandering around instead of straight up charging for the player. It's because they simply aren't looking for him; It's just that if they see him, they attack him. Springtrap doesn't have that excuse because he is human, and therefore has a human mind. If he wants to kill the player, he should just hunt him down at once. And even if we assume he somehow has the mind of an animatronic, and therefore is the same as the previous enemies, that still doesn't work for the monsters in THIS game. ''The odd thing about this argument about Springtrap is that it actually was confirmed in SL that Springtrap isn't just a reanimated corpse, he's a PREVIOUSLY REVIVED HUMAN, one that is presumed to think just like a human. Thus, this works in the argument's favor. However, I have to point out that this review came BEFORE this was revealed, and therefore there is a theory that the suit somehow went into animatronic mode upon killing Purple Guy, becoming a living coffin. A different theory is that PG is just a zombie, pure and simple. He's not a revived human seeking revenge, he's just a shambling corpse that knows nothing. So, I'm giving him minus points for making this point before Sister Location, and giving him plus points for Sister Location making his argument more credible. '' It's very clear that all they want is to kill the player. So, why don't they? There's many of them, and their target is stuck in a house. HOW HARD IS IT TO SURROUND A CHILD AND EAT HIM BEFORE HE CAN SHINE HIS FLASHLIGHT ON ALL OF YOU? Even the ghosts from Pac-Man know more about cornering than these things! ''Story-wise, this doesn't follow exact real-world logic. This is a dream within a coma, and therefore things aren't super realistic. Why were there floating jeans in my backyard in that one dream? How did that living Monster Truck manage to fit between the fence and the side of my house? How did I survive an encounter with numerous flesh-eating plants? Why did that one girl kiss me instead of kneeing me in the groin? Gameplay-wise, I have no clue. Maybe it was so it wasn't just a full-on charge on the part of all the Nightmares, making it easier for the player to take them down one by one? I don't know. So we will see that as a factual error. '' Another thing is that the game is ALMOST doing something right, but doesn't. That thing is Concealing. It's on the horror game chass chart. V''e''r''y i''m''p''o''r''t''a''n''t c''l''a''s''s. '' See, in horror, you should *almost* always hide your monster. Show it in darkness, show small parts of it while leaving most of it offscreen, show a silhouette of it....as long as the player can't see it properly, you're doing it right. ''I feel like this could also count as dating advice. Show her a pic of your arm, then of your nose, then of your.....oh, I forgot, this is a serious rebuttal. Almost forgot that. '' Then you might show the monster at some point in the game, but leave it hidden for most of the time. Why you should do this is because what scares each of us the most is our own mind. And if the players can only see small parts of the monster, like it's shape, or only be able to hear it, their imagination will be able to fill in the rest. ''What is that thing. No, seriously, WHAT IS THAT THING? I know I should be making a rebuttal to your statement, but WHAT IS THAT THING?! If I see *this* (a picture of Nightmare Bonnie's arm), my mind will be able to create a mental image of something specifically designed to scare me. Something that is way scarier to me than *this* (shows picture of Nightmare Bonnie in it's entiriety). This game is halfway there with the concealing. Throughout most of the game, you don't see the monsters; Only hear them. But here's the thing. You do see them. Clearly. And not just in the jumpscares, where you're supposed to see them, but in the gameplay as well. You see them moving away or simply looking right at you. I suppose this is meant to enhance the horror, but it doesn't. I can see enough of the monster to know they aren't scary. If I could only see shadows of them, it would be so much scarier. I agree with you. '' But the way it is, it feels like the monsters are saying, "Oh ****, he sees me, I gotta get out of here...Goth, I suck at killing children." And of course the game is still just a bunch of jumpscares. The tension is ruined by the clumsy movement, the boring gameplay, and the monster sliding out of sight. ''I don't think the movement is THAT clumsy, but that is of course a matter of opinion. '' It has improved a little in some ways, but for every step forwards it takes two steps backwards. So, this game is in some ways the worst and in some ways the best. But no matter what, it's still a terrible horror game. ''Please elaborate on the best and worst parts of it. And once again, it being a terrible horror game is a (admittedly broad) matter of opinion. '' '' As of now, having edited this, Will has removed his FNAF review. His intentions on doing so are unknown, but I'll probably soon find out. Category:Blog posts